The present invention generally relates to organizers for fastener sockets, particularly relates to organizers for a plurality of sets of fastener sockets, and specifically relates to organizers for a plurality of sets of fastener sockets of the tool box container type.
Fastener sockets are preferred tools in the removal and placement of fasteners by mechanics, repair people, and like personnel. However, fasteners are of a variety of types and sizes so that it is required that such personnel utilize several sets of fastener sockets. As an example, a single piece of equipment could include fasteners of both the English or inch variety and the metric variety, and both varieties could be a range of sizes to require different sizes of drives for such fastener sockets. Thus, it is necessary for a plurality of sets of fastener sockets to be available to personnel for their use according to the particular fastener being desired to be removed or placed. It is common to have each set of fastener sockets individually organized. However, this is disadvantageous as it is difficult to maintain several individual socket sets together and it requires considerable space. As an example, it is not uncommon to find that the particular socket set desired to be utilized at a remote location has become separated from the other sets and forgotten. Thus, a need has arisen for an organizer which holds a plurality of sets of fastener sockets at a single location.
Further, many socket organizers simply include a channel in which the sockets are received. However, when one or more sockets are removed from the channel, the remaining sockets are free to slide, tip or otherwise move in the channel requiring time to rearrange the remaining sockets to allow replacement of removed sockets. As a result, many times the sockets were not replaced in the channels but were simply placed in the container in any random order which required considerable time to locate particular sockets when desired and dramatically increased the risk of loss because there is no rapid way of determining whether one or more of the sockets had been omitted. Thus, a need has arisen for an organizer which individually holds the fastener sockets where the sockets are not positionally dependent upon other sockets in the organizer.
In this regard, several socket organizers exist where the sockets are held by an interfitting relation. Examples of such organizers included a plurality of projections which are slideably received in the drive opening of the socket, a plurality of spring clips in which the sockets are slideably received, a plurality of rubber and/or elastic cavities in which the sockets are slideably received, or the like. However, such interfitting relation holders are disadvantageous for several reasons. Specifically, such an interfitting relation is considered undesirable as being size and/or material characteristic dependent. In particular, being manufactured by various manufacturers the outer shapes and configurations of the sides and ends of sockets can be distinctive between manufacturers. Additionally, even though the wells and tool connection opening must be sized to receive the desired size fastener and drive, the inner shapes and configuration of the sides and ends of sockets are also distinctive between manufacturers. Thus, socket holders which rely on an interfitting relation are size dependent which require closer manufacturing tolerance resulting in increased fabrication costs and may not be able to universally hold sockets of every manufacturer. Further, wear, age, temperature, and the like can affect the interfitting relation. As an example, grease, oil, and other petroleum products found in automotive and other environments where sockets are utilized can react with materials utilized to create the interfitting relation causing the material to break down and/or harden adversely affecting the interfitting relation. Use or age of prior holders can cause stretching, loss of resiliency or spring force, or wear so that the intermitting relation with the sockets is lost. Similarly, reduction in temperature such as use under outside winter conditions can result in hardening and/or contraction of the material so that the interfitting relation with the sockets can be lost. Thus, a need has arisen for an organizer which individually holds the fastener sockets without an interfitting relation.
The present invention solves these needs and other problems in the field of organizers for holding a plurality of fastener sockets by providing, in preferred aspects, a plurality of holders included in a receptacle moveable between a presentation position and a retention position. Each of the holders slideably receive an individual fastener socket along a single linear path and without an intermitting relation and allowing their individual, manual, slideable removal from the holder when the receptacle is in the presentation position. The single linear path of each of the holders lie in a single plane during movement of the receptacle between the presentation and retention positions, with the sockets being prevented from sliding from the holders as the result of movement of the receptacle from the presentation position. In most preferred aspects, the receptacle is rotatable about an axis between the presentation and retention positions and the movement plane of the linear paths extend radially from the axis.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a novel organizer for fastener sockets.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide such a novel socket organizer where the receptacle moves between presentation and retention positions in a manner where the holders lie in a single plane during movement of the receptacle which in the preferred form extends radially for a rotatable receptacle.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide such a novel socket organizer for a plurality of sets of sockets.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide such a novel socket organizer which individually holds the sockets where the sockets are not positionally dependent upon other sockets in the organizer.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide such a novel socket organizer which individually holds the sockets without an interfitting relation.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide such a novel socket organizer which can be inexpensively fabricated and assembled.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide such a novel socket organizer which discourages placement of sockets in the organizer in a random order.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide such a novel socket organizer providing rapid verification of the omission of one or more sockets from any particular set.
These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become clearer in light of the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of this invention described in connection with the drawings.